Autocite workstation and systems and methods therefor

Abstract

Automated constraint-induced therapy extension (AutoCITE) workstation and systems and methods therefor. Use of the AutoCITE workstation (and associated systems and methods) allows constraint-induced movement therapy (CI therapy) to be extended to certain patients who have suffered a stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain resection, Multiple Sclerosis or spinal cord injury and for whom continuous one-on-one supervision by a therapist is not practicable or financially feasible. Use of the AutoCITE workstation (and associated systems and methods) further allows a tele-rehabilitation approach that is based directly on CI therapy to be implemented.

1 . A workstation for automated constraint-induced movement therapy (i.e., automated CI therapy), the workstation comprising: 
 a cabinet comprising an extensible work surface for positioning a task input device;    a computer;    a control input device for receiving workstation control parameter data, for transforming the received workstation control parameter data, and for transmitting the transformed workstation control parameter data to the computer;    a task input device for receiving task performance data, for transforming the received task performance data, and for transmitting the transformed task performance data to the computer;    a control device for receiving from the computer further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation) and for controlling the workstation using the further transformed workstation control parameter data; and    a data feedback device for receiving from the computer further transformed task performance data and for displaying the further transformed task performance data in a readable format; 
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed workstation control parameter data received from the control input device into further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation), and  
 wherein the computer exports the further transformed workstation control data to a control device for control of the workstation by the control device, and  
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into further transformed task performance data for display by the data feedback device in a readable format.  
   
   
   
       2 . The workstation of  claim 1  further comprising a chair.  
   
   
       3 . The workstation of  claim 2  wherein the chair includes a locking mechanism that maintains the chair a prescribed distance from the cabinet.  
   
   
       4 . The workstation of  claim 1  wherein the task input device receives performance data for an automated CI therapy task that is selected from the group consisting of: Reaching; Peg Moving; Hand Turning; Threading; Tracing; Flipping; Finger Tapping; and Ring-and-Arc Rotation.  
   
   
       5 . The workstation of  claim 1  wherein the task input device is selected from the group consisting of: a touch screen monitor that records location of touch by a hand part; a peg board that records peg movement; a handle mounted to a shaft and bearing assembly that records rotation of the handle about an axis through a fixed arc; an assembly of posts that records threading of one or more posts with a string; a touch screen monitor that records location of tracing by a hand part; a camera that records color or pattern changes in a field; a sensor for a finger that records tapping of a finger; and a sensor on an arm that is rotationally secured at one end and where the sensor records rotation of the arm through an arc.  
   
   
       6 . The workstation of  claim 1  wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into autoshaping response data for display in a readable format by the data feedback device.  
   
   
       7 . A method of tele-rehabilitation, the method comprising: 
 remotely monitoring further transformed task performance data from a workstation being used for automated constraint-induced movement therapy (i.e., automated CI therapy), wherein the workstation comprises: 
 a cabinet comprising an extensible work surface for positioning a task input device;  
 a computer;  
 a control input device for receiving workstation control parameter data, for transforming the received workstation control parameter data, and for transmitting the transformed workstation control parameter data to the computer;  
 a task input device for receiving task performance data, for transforming the received task performance data, and for transmitting the transformed task performance data to the computer;  
 a control device for receiving from the computer further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation) and for controlling the workstation using the further transformed workstation control parameter data;  
 a data feedback device for receiving from the computer further transformed task performance data and for displaying the further transformed task performance data in a readable format; 
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed workstation control parameter data received from the control input device into further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation), and  
 wherein the computer exports the further transformed workstation control data to a control device for control of the workstation by the control device, and  
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into further transformed task performance data for display by the data feedback device in a readable format; and  
 
   remotely providing data responsive to the further transformed task performance data from the workstation.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the data responsive to the further transformed task performance data comprises data for instructional or shaping messages.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the task input device receives performance data for an automated CI therapy task that is selected from the group consisting of: Reaching; Peg Moving; Hand Turning; Threading; Tracing; Flipping; Finger Tapping; and Ring-and-Arc Rotation.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the task input device is selected from the group consisting of: a touch screen monitor that records location of touch by a hand part; a peg board that records peg movement; a handle mounted to a shaft and bearing assembly that records rotation of the handle about an axis through a fixed arc; an assembly of posts that records threading of one or more posts with a string; a touch screen monitor that records location of tracing by a hand part; a camera that records color or pattern changes in a field; a sensor for a finger that records tapping of a finger; and a sensor on an arm that is rotationally secured at one end and where the sensor records rotation of the arm through an arc.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into autoshaping response data for display in a readable format by the data feedback device.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein workstation control parameter data is suitable for remotely providing therapy via the workstation to a patient who has suffered a stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), brain resection, Multiple Sclerosis or spinal cord injury (SCI).  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein workstation control parameter data is suitable for remotely providing therapy via the workstation to a patient for whom continuous one-on-one supervision by a therapist is not practicable or financially feasible.  
   
   
       14 . A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing acts comprising: 
 receiving task performance data from a task input device;    transforming the received task performance data; and    transmitting the transformed task performance data to a computer, wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into further transformed task performance data for display by a data feedback device in a readable format,    wherein the task input device is part of a workstation comprising:    a cabinet comprising an extensible work surface for positioning the task input device;    the computer;    a control input device for receiving workstation control parameter data, for transforming the received workstation control parameter data, and for transmitting the transformed workstation control parameter data to the computer;    the task input device for receiving task performance data, for transforming the received task performance data, and for transmitting the transformed task performance data to the computer;    a control device for receiving from the computer further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation) and for controlling the workstation using the further transformed workstation control parameter data; and    the data feedback device for receiving from the computer further transformed task performance data and for displaying the further transformed task performance data in a readable format; 
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed workstation control parameter data received from the control input device into further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation), and  
 wherein the computer exports the further transformed workstation control data to a control device for control of the workstation by the control device.  
   
   
   
       15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14  wherein the task input device receives performance data for an automated CI therapy task that is selected from the group consisting of: Reaching; Peg Moving; Hand Turning; Threading; Tracing; Flipping; Finger Tapping; and Ring-and-Arc Rotation.  
   
   
       16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14  wherein the task input device is selected from the group consisting of: a touch screen monitor that records location of touch by a hand part; a peg board that records peg movement; a handle mounted to a shaft and bearing assembly that records rotation of the handle about an axis through a fixed arc; an assembly of posts that records threading of one or more posts with a string; a touch screen monitor that records location of tracing by a hand part; a camera that records color or pattern changes in a field; a sensor for a finger that records tapping of a finger; and a sensor on an arm that is rotationally secured at one end and where the sensor records rotation of the arm through an arc.  
   
   
       17 . A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing acts further comprising: 
 remotely monitoring further transformed task performance data from a workstation being used for automated constraint-induced movement therapy (i.e., automated CI therapy), wherein the workstation comprises: 
 a cabinet comprising an extensible work surface for positioning a task input device;  
 a computer;  
 a control input device for receiving workstation control parameter data, for transforming the received workstation control parameter data, and for transmitting the transformed workstation control parameter data to the computer; and  
 a task input device for receiving task performance data, for transforming the received task performance data, and for transmitting the transformed task performance data to the computer;  
 a control device for receiving from the computer further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation) and for controlling the workstation using the further transformed workstation control parameter data;  
 a data feedback device for receiving from the computer further transformed task performance data and for displaying the further transformed task performance data in a readable format; 
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed workstation control parameter data received from the control input device into further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation), and  
 wherein the computer exports the further transformed workstation control data to a control device for control of the workstation by the control device, and  
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into further transformed task performance data for display by the data feedback device in a readable format; and  
 
   remotely providing data responsive to the further transformed task performance data form the workstation.    
   
   
       18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the data responsive to the further transformed task performance data comprises data for instructional or shaping messages.  
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the task input device receives performance data for an automated CI therapy task that is selected from the group consisting of: Reaching; Peg Moving; Hand Turning; Threading; Tracing; Flipping; Finger Tapping; and Ring-and-Arc Rotation.  
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the task input device is selected from the group consisting of: a touch screen monitor that records location of touch by a hand part; a peg board that records peg movement; a handle mounted to a shaft and bearing assembly that records rotation of the handle about an axis through a fixed arc; an assembly of posts that records threading of one or more posts with a string; a touch screen monitor that records location of tracing by a hand part; a camera that records color or pattern changes in a field; a sensor for a finger that records tapping of a finger; and a sensor on an arm that is rotationally secured at one end and where the sensor records rotation of the arm through an arc.  
   
   
       21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17  wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into autoshaping response data for display in a readable format by the data feedback device.  
   
   
       22 . A tele-rehabilitation system for effecting automated constraint-induced movement therapy (i.e., automated CI therapy), the system comprising: 
 a device for remotely receiving further transformed task performance data from a workstation being used for automated CI therapy, wherein the workstation comprises: 
 a cabinet comprising an extensible work surface for positioning a task input device;  
 a computer;  
 a control input device for receiving workstation control parameter data, for transforming the received workstation control parameter data, and for transmitting the transformed workstation control parameter data to the computer; and  
 a task input device for receiving task performance data, for transforming the received task performance data, and for transmitting the transformed task performance data to the computer;  
 a control device for receiving from the computer further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation) and for controlling the workstation using the further transformed workstation control parameter data;  
 a data feedback device for receiving from the computer further transformed task performance data and for displaying the further transformed task performance data in a readable format; 
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed workstation control parameter data received from the control input device into further transformed workstation control parameter data (electronic instructions for control of the workstation), and  
 wherein the computer exports the further transformed workstation control data to a control device for control of the workstation by the control device, and  
 wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into further transformed task performance data for display by the data feedback device in a readable format; and  
 
   a device for remotely providing data responsive to the further transformed task performance data from the workstation.    
   
   
       23 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein the data responsive to the further transformed task performance data comprises data for instructional or shaping messages.  
   
   
       24 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein the task input device receives performance data for an automated CI therapy task that is selected from the group consisting of: Reaching; Peg Moving; Hand Turning; Threading; Tracing; Flipping; Finger Tapping; and Ring-and-Arc Rotation.  
   
   
       25 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein the task input device is selected from the group consisting of: a touch screen monitor that records location of touch by a hand part; a peg board that records peg movement; a handle mounted to a shaft and bearing assembly that records rotation of the handle about an axis through a fixed arc; an assembly of posts that records threading of one or more posts with a string; a touch screen monitor that records location of tracing by a hand part; a camera that records color or pattern changes in a field; a sensor for a finger that records tapping of a finger; and a sensor on an arm that is rotationally secured at one end and where the sensor records rotation of the arm through an arc.  
   
   
       26 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein the computer further transforms the transformed task performance data received from the task input device into autoshaping response data for display in a readable format by the data feedback device.  
   
   
       27 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein workstation control parameter data is suitable for remotely providing therapy via the workstation to a patient who has suffered a stroke, TBI, brain resection, Multiple Sclerosis or SCI.  
   
   
       28 . The tele-rehabilitation system of  claim 22  wherein workstation control parameter data is suitable for remotely providing therapy via the workstation to a patient for whom continuous one-on-one supervision by a therapist is not practicable or financially feasible.